Sediment flux history of Pearl River mouth basin, North margin of South China Sea

This work estimates the solid sediment flux in Pearl River mouth basin from Cenozoic (42Ma). The estimates were derived from isopach maps, seismic reflection profiles and drill holes. Average solid sediment fluxes were calculated for six epochs approximately corresponding to geological periods: Eocene-Lower Oligocene (42-29.3), Upper Oligocene (29.3-23.8), Lower Miocene (23.8-16.4), Middle Miocene (16.4-11.2), Upper Miocene (11.2-5.32), and Pliocene-Pleistocene (5.32-0). The total sediment flux from 42 Ma is 392071.3 km3 and 0.89 km of erosion formed from the onshore drainage basin area. The average erosion rate is 22 m/ Ma. The sediment flux curve shows 3 episodes massive increase in sediment supply, i.e. Upper Oligocene, Middle Miocene and Pliocene-Pleistocene. The first increase related to the break up activity and is the product of elevated rift shoulder. The other two increase peak link to the changing of climate.